Nucleotides. Part LXXVIII

Several N(‐hydroxyalkyl)‐2,4‐dinitroanilines were transformed into their phosphoramidites (see 5 and 6 in Scheme 1) in view of their use as fluorescence quenchers, and modified 2‐aminobenzamides (see 9, 10, 18 , and 19 in Scheme 1) were applied in model reactions as fluorophors to determine the relative fluorescence quantum yields of the 3′‐Aba and 5′‐Dnp‐3′‐Aba conjugates (Aba=aminobenzamide, Dnp=dinitroaniline). Thymidine was alkylated with N‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐2,4‐dinitroaniline ( 24 ) to give 25 which was further modified to the building blocks 27 and 28 (Scheme 3). The 2‐amino group in 29 was transformed by diazotation into the 2‐fluoroinosine derivative 30 used as starting material for several reactions at the pyrimidine nucleus (→ 31, 33 , and 35 ; Scheme 4). The 3′,5′‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2′‐deoxy‐N²‐[(dimethylamino)methylene]guanosine ( 37 ) was alkylated with methyl and ethyl iodide preferentially at N(1) to 43 and 44 , and similarly reacted N‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐2,4‐dinitroaniline ( 24 ) to 38 and the N‐(2‐iodoethyl)‐N‐methyl analog 50 to 53 (Scheme 5). The 2′‐deoxyguanosine derivative 53 was transformed into 3′,5′‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2‐fluoro‐1‐{2‐[(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)methylamino]ethyl}inosine ( 54 ; Scheme 5) which reacted with 2,2′‐[ethane‐1,2‐diylbis(oxy)]bis[ethanamine] to modify the 2‐position with an amino spacer resulting in 56 (Scheme 6). Attachment of the fluorescein moiety 55 at 56 via a urea linkage led to the doubly labeled 2′‐deoxyguanosine derivative 57 (Scheme 6). Dimethoxytritylation to 58 and further reaction to the 3′‐succinate 59 and 3′‐phosphoramidite 60 afforded the common building blocks for the oligonucleotide synthesis (Scheme 6). Similarly, 30 reacted with N‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐2,4‐dinitroaniline ( 61 ) thus attaching the quencher at the 2‐position to yield 62 (Scheme 7). The amino spacer was again attached at the same site via a urea bridge to form 64 . The labeling of 64 with the fluorescein derivative 55 was straigthforward giving 65 . and dimethoxytritylation to 66 and further phosphitylation to 67 followed known procedures (Scheme 7). Several oligo‐2′‐deoxynucleotides containing the doubly labeled 2′‐deoxyguanosines at various positions of the chain were formed in a DNA synthesizer, and their fluorescence properties and the T_ms in comparison to their parent duplexes were measured (Tables 1–5).     

Synthesis of Novel 8,14‐Secoursane Derivatives: Key Intermediates for the Preparation of Chiral Decalin Synthons from Ursolic Acid

The novel 8,14‐secoursatriene derivative 6 was synthesized starting from ursolic acid ( 1 ) via methyl esterification of the 17‐carboxylic acid group and benzoylation of the 3‐hydroxy group (→ 2 ; Scheme 1), ozone oxidation of the C(12)?C(13) bond (→ 3 ), dehydrogenation with Br₂/HBr (→ 4 ), enol acetylation of the resulting carbonyl group (→ 5 ; Scheme 2), and ring‐C opening with the aid of UV light (→ 6 ). Ring‐C‐opened dienone derivative 7 of ursolic acid was also obtained via selective hydrolysis of 6 (Scheme 2). Both compounds 6 and 7 are key intermediates for the preparation of chiral decalin synthons from ursolic acid.     

Model Construction for the A–B–C Ring System of Lysergic Acid via Vilsmeier–Haack‐Type Cyclization of 1H‐Indole‐4‐propanoic Acid Derivatives

Vilsmeier–Haack‐type cyclization of 1H‐indole‐4‐propanoic acid derivatives was examined as model construction for the A–B–C ring system of lysergic acid ( 1 ). Smooth cyclization from the 4 position of 1H‐indole to the 3 position was achieved by Vilsmeier–Haack reaction in the presence of K₂CO₃ in MeCN, and the best substrate was found to be the N,N‐dimethylcarboxamide 9 (Table 1). The modified method can be successfully applied to an α‐amino acid derivative protected with an N‐acetyl function, i.e., to 27 (Table 2); however, loss of optical purity was observed in the cyclization when a chiral substrate (S)‐ 27 was used (Scheme 5). On the other hand, the intramolecular Pummerer reaction of the corresponding sulfoxide 20 afforded an S‐containing tricyclic system 22 , which was formed by a cyclization to the 5 position (Scheme 3).     

New Syntheses of Retinal and Its Acyclic Analog γ‐Retinal by an Extended Aldol Reaction with a C6 Building Block That Incorporates a C5 Unit after Decarboxylation. A Formal Route to Lycopene and β‐Carotene

Since the C₁₅ β‐end‐group aldehyde 10 ((β‐ionylidene)acetaldehyde), an excellent intermediate in the syntheses of retinoids, can be synthesized in many ways from β‐ionone, and since the corresponding acyclic C₁₅ ψ‐end‐group aldehyde 5 can easily be synthesized from citral ( 1 ) (Scheme 3), we applied the C₁₅+C₅ route to the syntheses of γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 ) (Scheme 3) and retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) (Scheme 4), and therefore, by coupling (2×C₂₀→C₄₀), to the preparation of lycopene ( 14 ) and β‐carotene ( 15 ) (Scheme 5). Our new syntheses of retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) and γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 use an extended aldol reaction with a C₆ building block that incorporates a C₅ unit after decarboxylation.     

Studies on Reactions of Thioketones with Trimethyl(trifluoromethyl)silane Catalyzed by Fluoride Ions

Treatment of 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dione ( 6 ) in THF with CF₃SiMe₃ in the presence of tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) yielded the corresponding 3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐3‐[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]cyclobutanone 7 (Scheme 1) via nucleophilic addition of a CF anion at the CO group and subsequent silylation of the alcoholate. Under similar conditions, the ‘monothione' 1 reacted to give thietane derivative 8 (Scheme 2), whereas in the case of ‘dithione' 2 only the dispirodithietane 9 , the dimer of 2 , was formed (Scheme 3). A conceivable mechanism for the formation of 8 is the ring opening of the primarily formed CF₃ adduct A followed by ring closure via the S‐atom (Scheme 2). In the case of thiobenzophenones 4 , complex mixtures of products were obtained including diarylmethyl trifluoromethyl sulfide 10 and 1,1‐diaryl‐2,2‐difluoroethene 11 (Scheme 4). Obviously, competing thiophilic and carbophilic addition of the CF anion took place. The reaction with 9H‐fluorene‐9‐thione ( 5 ) yielded only 9,9′‐bifluorenylidene ( 14 ; Scheme 6); this product was also formed when 5 was treated with TBAF alone. Treatment of 4a with TBAF in THF gave dibenzhydryl disulfide ( 15 ; Scheme 7), whereas, under similar conditions, 1 yielded the 3‐oxopentanedithioate 17 (Scheme 9). The reaction of dithione 2 with TBAF led to the isomeric dithiolactone 16 (Scheme 8), and 3 was transformed into 1,2,4‐trithiolane 18 (Scheme 10).     

A Novel ‘Domino‐Click Approach’ to Unsymmetrical Bis‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazoles

Aryl azides 1 were treated with allenylmagnesium bromide ( 2 ) to generate 1,5‐disubstituted butynyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazoles 3 in a domino fashion, which upon Cu^I‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with aryl azides 4 afforded novel bis‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazoles 5 in quantitative yields (Scheme 1 and Table).     

‘Click Synthesis’ of Some Novel Benzimidazol Oxime Ethers Containing Heterocycle Residues as Potential ß‐Adrenergic Blocking Agents

The ‘click synthesis’ of some novel O‐substituted oximes, 5a – 5j , which contain heterocycle residues, as new analogs of ß‐adrenoceptor antagonists is described (Scheme 1). The synthesis of these compounds was achieved in four steps. The formation of (E)‐2‐(1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐1‐yl)‐1‐phenylethanone oxime, followed by their reaction with 2‐(chloromethyl)oxirane, afforded mixture of oil compounds 3 and 4 , which by a subsequent tetra‐n‐butylammonium bromide (TBAB)‐catalyzed reaction with N H heterocycle compounds (Scheme 1), led to the target compounds 5a – 5j in good yields.     

Nucleosides and Oligonucleotides with Diynyl Side Chains: Base Pairing and Functionalization of 2′‐Deoxyuridine Derivatives by the Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Alkyne?Azide ‘Click’ Cycloaddition

Oligonucleotides containing the 5‐substituted 2′‐deoxyuridines 1b or 1d bearing side chains with terminal C?C bonds are described, and their duplex stability is compared with oligonucleotides containing the 5‐alkynyl compounds 1a or 1c with only one nonterminal C?C bond in the side chain. For this, 5‐iodo‐2′‐deoxyuridine ( 3 ) and diynes or alkynes were employed as starting materials in the Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction (Scheme 1). Phosphoramidites 2b – d were prepared (Scheme 3) and used as building blocks in solid‐phase synthesis. T_m Measurements demonstrated that DNA duplexes containing the octa‐1,7‐diynyl side chain or a diprop‐2‐ynyl ether residue, i.e., containing 1b or 1d , are more stable than those containing only one triple bond, i.e., 1a or 1c (Table 3). The diyne‐modified nucleosides were employed in further functionalization reactions by using the protocol of the Cu^I‐catalyzed Huisgen–Meldal–Sharpless [2+3] cycloaddition (‘click chemistry’) (Scheme 2). An aliphatic azide, i. e., 3′‐azido‐3′‐deoxythymidine (AZT; 4 ), as well as the aromatic azido compound 5 were linked to the terminal alkyne group resulting in 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐modified derivatives 6 and 7 , respectively (Scheme 2), of which 6 forms a stable duplex DNA (Table 3). The Husigen–Meldal–Sharpless cycloaddition was also performed with oligonucleotides (Schemes 4 and 5).     

Ring‐Opening Reactions of 3‐Aryl‐1‐benzylaziridine‐2‐carboxylates and Application to the Asymmetric Synthesis of an Amphetamine‐Type Compound

Nucleophilic ring‐opening reactions of 3‐aryl‐1‐benzylaziridine‐2‐carboxylates were examined by using O‐nucleophiles and aromatic C‐nucleophiles. The stereospecificity was found to depend on substrates and conditions used. Configuration inversion at C(3) was observed with O‐nucleophiles as a major reaction path in the ring‐opening reactions of aziridines carrying an electron‐poor aromatic moiety, whereas mixtures containing preferentially the syn‐diastereoisomer were generally obtained when electron‐rich aziridines were used (Tables 1–3). In the reactions of electron‐rich aziridines with C‐nucleophiles, S_N2 reactions yielding anti‐type products were observed (Table 4). Reductive ring‐opening reaction by catalytic hydrogenation of (+)‐trans‐(2S,3R)‐3‐(1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)aziridine‐2‐carboxylate (+)‐trans‐ 3c afforded the corresponding α‐amino acid derivative, which was smoothly transformed into (+)‐tert‐butyl [(1R)‐2‐(1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)‐1‐methylethyl]carbamate((+)‐ 14 ) with high retention of optical purity (Scheme 6).     

Formal Synthesis of (−)‐Cephalotaxine

A formal synthesis of (?)‐cephalotaxine ( 1 ) by means of a highly stereoselective radical carboazidation process is reported. The synthesis begins with the protected (S)‐cyclopent‐2‐en‐1‐ol derivative 10 and uses the concept of self‐reproduction of a stereogenic center (Schemes 5 and 6). For this purpose, the double bond adjacent to the initial chiral center in 10 is converted into an acetonide after stereoselective dihydroxylation. The initial alcohol function is used to build an exocyclic methylene group suitable for the carboazidation process 8 → 7 (Scheme 7). Finally the protected diol moiety is converted back to an alkene ( 14 → 15 → 6 ) and used for the formation of ring B via a Heck reaction ( 6 →(?)‐ 16 ; Scheme 8).     

Perchloric Acid–Silica (HClO4⋅SiO2)‐Catalyzed Synthesis of 14‐Alkyl‐ or 14‐Aryl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes and N‐[(2‐Hydroxynaphthalen‐1‐yl)methyl]amides

The synthesis of 14‐aryl‐ or 14‐alkyl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes 3 involving the treatment of naphthalen‐2‐ol ( 1 ) with arenecarboxaldehydes or alkanals 2 in the presence of HClO₄?SiO₂ as a heterogeneous catalyst was achieved (Table 1), and this reaction was extended to the preparation of N‐[(2‐hydroxynaphthalen‐1‐yl)methyl]amides 5 by a three‐component reaction with urea ( 4a ) or an amide 4b – d as a third reactant (Table 2).     

Tasumatrols P – T,Five New Taxoids from Taxus sumatrana

The phytochemical investigation of the more polar fractions from the leaves and twigs of Taxus sumatrana (Taxaceae) afforded five new taxane diterpene esters, tasumatrols P–T ( 1 – 5 ) possessing an 11(15→1),11(10→9)‐diabeotaxane skeleton. Compounds 1, 4 , and 5 contain an α‐hydroxy group at C(14), while 3 has no OH group at either C(13) or C(14). Compound 2 is a natural 4,5‐acetonide derivative, while 4 has an unusual spiro‐connected 2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolane ring. Ten known taxoids, were also isolated in the course of the chromatographic fractionation. Five additional new O‐acetyl derivatives 3a, 4a, 4b, 5a , and 5b were prepared from the taxanes 3 – 5 . The structures of all new compounds were established on the basis of their spectroscopic analyses. Compound 1 showed mild cytotoxic activity against human Hela and Daoy tumor cells.     

Nucleotides. Part LXXV

The reactivity of the 2′‐deoxy‐N⁴‐(phenoxycarbonyl)cytidine derivatives 3 and 4 with aromatic amines was studied to form new types of urea derivatives (see 5 – 10 ). On the same basis, labeling of 3 and 4 with 5‐aminofluorescein ( 14 ) was achieved to give the conjugates 15 and 17 , respectively (Scheme 1). Treatment of 17 with 2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)ethanol in a Mitsunobu reaction led to double protection of the fluorescein moiety (→ 18 ) and desilylation yielded 19 . Dimethoxytritylation (→ 20 ) and subsequent phosphitylations afforded the new building blocks 21 and 22 . Synthesis of the fully protected trimer 28 was achieved by condensation of 21 with 23 to 26 which after detritylation (→ 27 ) was coupled with 25 to give 28 (Scheme 2). Deprotection of all blocking groups was performed with 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) in one step to give 29 . The synthesis of the decamer 5′‐d(C^FluCCG GCC CGC)‐3′ ( 33 ) started from 30 which was attached to the solid support and then elongated with 31, 32 , and 22 at the 5′‐terminal end (C^Flu=deprotected phosphate derivative of 22 ). Hybridization with the complementary oligomer 5′‐d(G GGC CGG GCG)‐3′ ( 34 ) showed the influence of the fluorescein label on the stability of the duplex.     

Synthesis of Some Novel Thioxanthenone‐Fused Azacrown Ethers,and Their Use as New Catalysts in the Efficient,Mild, and Regioselective Conversion of Epoxides to β‐Hydroxy Thiocyanates with Ammonium Thiocyanate

The regioselective ring‐opening reactions of some epoxides with ammonium thiocyanate in the presence of a series of new 9H‐thioxanthen‐9‐one‐fused azacrown ethers, i.e., 7 – 11 (Scheme 1), and also of dibenzo[18]crown‐6 ( 12 ), Kryptofix^® 22 ( 13 ), and benzo[15]crown‐5 ( 14 ) were studied (Tables 1 and 2). The epoxides were subjected to cleavage by NH₄SCN in the presence of these catalysts under mild conditions in various aprotic solvents. Reagents and conditions were identified for the synthesis of individual β‐hydroxy thiocyanates in high yield and with more than 90% regioselectivity. The results can be discussed in terms of a four‐step mechanism (Scheme 2): 1) formation of a complex between catalyst and NH₄SCN, 2) release of SCN^? from the complex, 3) reaction of the released SCN^? at the sterically less hindered site of the epoxide, and 4) regeneration of the catalyst. The major advantages of this method are the high regioselectivity, the simple regeneration of the catalyst, the reuse of it through several cycles without a decrease of activity, and the ease of workup of the reaction mixtures.     

Silica‐Bound 3‐{2‐[Poly(ethylene Glycol)]ethyl}‐Substituted 1‐Methyl‐1H‐imidazol‐3‐ium Bromide: A Recoverable Phase‐Transfer Catalyst for Smooth and Regioselective Conversion of Oxiranes to β‐Hydroxynitriles in Water

A series of β‐hydroxynitriles were efficiently synthesized from the regioselective ring opening of oxiranes by cyanide anion in the presence of silica‐bound 3‐{2‐[poly(ethylene glycol)]ethyl}‐substituted 1‐methyl‐1H‐imidazol‐3‐ium bromide (SiO₂? PEG? ImBr) as a novel recoverable phase‐transfer catalyst in H₂O (Scheme 1 and Table 2). The workup procedure was straightforward, and the catalyst could be reused over four times with almost no loss of catalytic activity and selectivity.     

Fused 1,2‐Dithioles. Part VII

The 1,2‐dithiolosultam derivative 14 was obtained from the (α‐bromoalkylidene)propenesultam derivative 9 (Scheme 1). Regioselective cleavage of the two ester groups (→ 1b or 2b ) allowed the preparation of derivatives with different substituents at C(3) in the dithiole ring (see 27 and 28 ) as well as at C(6) in the isothiazole ring (see 17 – 21 ; Scheme 2). Curtius rearrangement of the 6‐carbonyl azide 21 in Ac₂O afforded the 6‐acetamide 22 , and saponification and decarboxylation of the latter yielded ‘sulfothiolutin’ ( 30 ). Hydride reductions of two of the bicyclic sultams resulted in ring opening of the sultam ring and loss of the sulfonyl group. Thus the reduction of the dithiolosultam derivative 14 yielded the alkylidenethiotetronic acid derivative 33 (tetronic acid=furan‐2,4(3H,4H)‐dione), and the lactam‐sultam derivative 10 gave the alkylidenetetramic acid derivative 35 (tetramic acid=1,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐2H‐pyrrol‐2‐one) (Scheme 3). Some of the new compounds ( 14, 22, 26 , and 30 ) exhibited antimycobacterial activity. The oxidative addition of 1 equiv. of [Pt(η²‐C₂H₄)L₂] ( 36a , L=PPh₃; 36b , L=1/2 dppf; 36c , L=1/2 (R,R)‐diop) into the S? S bond of 14 led to the cis‐(dithiolato)platinum(II) complexes 37a – c . (dppf=1,1′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene; (R,R)‐diop={[(4R,5R)‐2,2‐demithyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐diyl]bis(methylene)}bis[diphenylphosphine]).     

Concise Synthesis of [1,1′‐Biisoquinoline]‐4,4′‐diol via a Protecting Group Strategy and Its Application for Potential Liquid‐Crystalline Compounds

The [1,1′‐biisoquinoline]‐4,4′‐diol ( 4a ), which was obtained as hydrochloride 4a ?2 HCl in two steps starting from the methoxymethyl (MOM)‐protected 1‐chloroisoquinoline 8 (Scheme 3), opens access to further O‐functionalized biisoquinoline derivatives. Compound 4a ?2 HCl was esterified with 4‐(hexadecyloxy)benzoyl chloride ( 5b ) to give the corresponding diester 3b (Scheme 4), which could not be obtained by Ni‐mediated homocoupling of 6b (Scheme 2). The ether derivative 2b was accessible in good yield by reaction of 4a ?2 HCl with the respective alkyl bromide 9 under the conditions of Williamson etherification (Scheme 4). Slightly modified conditions were applied to the esterification of 4a ?2 HCl with galloyl chlorides 10a – h as well as etherification of 4a ?2 HCl with 6‐bromohexyl tris(alkyloxy)benzoates 11b , d – h and [(6‐bromohexyl)oxy]‐substituted pentakis(alkyloxy)triphenylenes 14a – c (Scheme 5). Despite the bulky substituents, the respective target 1,1′‐biisoquinolines 12, 13 , and 15 were isolated in 14–86% yield (Table).     

Synthesis of Halogenated α,β‐Unsaturated γ‐Butyrolactone Derivatives by Triphenylphosphine‐Catalyzed Cyclization of α‐Halogeno Ketones with Dialkyl Acetylenedicarboxylates (=Dialkyl But‐2‐ynedioates)

A Ph₃P‐catalyzed cyclization of α‐halogeno ketones 2 with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioates) 3 produced halogenated α,β‐unsaturated γ‐butyrolactone derivatives 4 in good yields (Scheme 1, Table). The presence of electron‐withdrawing groups such as halogen atoms at the α‐position of the ketones was necessary in this reaction. Cyclization of α‐chloro ketones resulted in higher yields than that of the corresponding α‐bromo ketones. Dihalogeno ketones similarly afforded the expected γ‐butyrolactone derivatives in high yields.     

Unexpected Ring Expansion of the (3aS,6aR)‐γ‐Thiolactone Moiety during the Introduction of the (+)‐Biotin Side Chain

The reaction of vinylmagnesium bromide with the (3aS,6aR)‐γ‐thiolactone 2 in THF afforded, after unexpected ring expansion of the γ‐thiolactone moiety, the seven‐membered‐ring ketone 5 in excellent yield, instead of the expected tertiary alcohol 3 .     

A One‐Pot Biginelli Synthesis of 6‐Unsubstituted 5‐Aroylpyrimidin‐2(1H)‐ones and 6‐Acetyl‐1,2,4‐triazin‐3(2H)‐ones

The three‐component Biginelli‐like cyclocondensation reaction of enamines 1 , urea, and aldehydes in dioxane/acetic acid efficiently afforded the corresponding 6‐unsubstituted 3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐ones 2 in good yields (Scheme 1, Table). The corresponding reaction of azaenamine (=hydrazone) 7 with benzaldehyde and urea afforded 6‐acetyl‐1,2,4‐triazin‐3(2H)‐ones in good yields (Scheme 3).